Trenching machine



H. H. FRANKs TRENCHING MACHINE H. H. FRANKs TRENGHING MACHINE 'Filed Nw 12s, 1921 4 Sheets-Sheet I2 H. H. FRANKS TRENGHING MACHINE Filed Nov. 23, 1921 Dec'. 30, 1924.

4 Sheets-Sheet 5 "MIMI" Dec. 30, 1924.

H. H. FRANKS TRENCHING MACHINE Filed Nov. 25, 1921 4 sheets-sheet` 4 Patented Dec. 30, 1924.

UNITED STATE-.s

IIARvnY Fri-Amis, or DIXON, ILLINOIS.

Y TRENCING MACHINE.

Apneation filed' November 23, 1921. seriar no. 517,166.

To all whom t may Concern: v

Be itknown that I, HARVEY H. FnANiIs, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Dixon, in the county of Leeand State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inv Trenching Machines, of which the following isa full, clear, and exact description,` reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification. Y

My invention relates to machines for digging trenches within which drain or other pipes are to be laid, and more particularly to that class of such machines which op# crate by power and are self propelled. One object of my invention is to provide a machine which shall be relatively cheap to construct,eiiicient to operate, of simple and durable construction. y

Another object of my invention is the provision of a construction which may be operated Vto digcurved trenches. Another object of my invention is the provision of means whereby` the machine may be operated in i'narshy or similar places where traction is diiiicult.-

Other objects of my Yinvention will be described in the specification.

The novelty of my invention will be hereinafter more fully set forth and specifically pointed out in the claims.`

In the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1, Sheet 1, is a side elevation of a machine embodying my invention.

Fig. 2, Sheet 2, is aplan view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3, Sheet 3 is a rear end view of the rearportion of the 1nachine. H A l, Fig. 4, Sheet 3, is a sectional plan view taken on the dotted line 4 4 ofFig. 3. This view is on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 5, Sheet 3, is a detail of the radius mechanism of the machine .in a modified forni. v

Fig. 6, Sheet 4, is a sectional end view of the' forward portion of the machine taken on the dotted line 6-6 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrow. y

Fig. 7, Sheet 4, is' anenlarged' detail side view of a portion of the bucket carrying ring and one ofthebuckets', Y

Fig. 8.', Sheet 4, is an end view of Fig. 7.

Fig. 9, Sheet 4, is a side view of the conveyor and its associated parts.`

Fig. 10, Sheet 4,:is an enlarged A sectional end view of 9A taken on the'line 10-10 of Fig. 9, looking to the right.

Fig. 11, Sheet 4,`is an enlarged view f the right end of Fig. 9', the sprocket and chain being removed.

Fig. 12, Sheet 4, is a composite view of the construction of the bucket carrying ring.

Fig. 13, Sheet 3, is an enlarged detail view of a portion of Fig. 3.

The samel numerals Vof reference are used to indicate identical parts in all the figures.

As showing one form of construction enibodyingmy invention, I have shown a maeV chine consisting of a main frame 1, which is supported by forward ground wheels 2,V and rear ground wheels 3, the main frame carrying, near its forward end, a motor 4, which may be the usual internal combustion engine such as used in trucks, or any other suitable form of motor, the power from which is used to operatethe balance of the machine,- except as otherwise noted herein.

The main frame 1 carries guiding standards 5 and 6*,vthe standards 5 being at the rear of the main frame while the standards 6 areV forward of the centerA of the main frame and are preferably curved as shown, the radius of the curvature being from the center of the shaft 7 which, together with its connections will be' described later herein. Y

A vertically movable frame 8 is mounted between the standards 5 and 6 and this frame carries the bucket ring' 9', the latter carrying a series of buckets 10. An endless belt Vconveyor 11 is also carried by the frame 8 to discharge the earth, brought up by the buckets, to the side of the machine.

An operators platform 12 ismounted on the main frame 1 and carries a seat 13' adjacent to which is mounted a steering wheel 14 fromwhich a sprocket chain 15 leads to a shaft 16 which steers the front wheels A2, these wheels being mounted on stub axles 17 (Figs.A 2, and 6,) which are carried by a iifth-wheel frame 18 which` is connected tothe main frame 1 by the fifth-wheel 19, the fifth-wheel frame being operated to accomplishl the steering of the forward end ofthe machine" by means of a bracket 20 which carries a nut 21 whichv engages threads formed onthe shaft 16 so' that as this shaft is turned in one direction the machine willv be steered to the right and vice-versa.

The rear i'vheels 3 are mounted on steering knuckles'22 carried by the ends of the rearv axle 23, each steering `knuckle being provided with a steering arm 24, the two arms being .connected together for simultaneous movement bya tie rod 25, the latterV rearward from the rea-r axle structure and being positioned so that thetie rod 25 may be locked'theretoasby pins 28 so thatundernormal conditions, the rear wheels are locked against steering. y

The-movable frame 8 is. carriedl by cables 29, 'there being four of these cables, two being attached to the frame 8 near its rear end and two near its front end,'the rear cables passing up from the frame andover sheaves 3() carried by a shaft 3l mounted at the upper ends of the standards 5, these cables then-passing forward and over the double grooved sheaves 32, carried by the arched shaft 33 carried by the upper ends of the standards 6, from which point the.

'Y to belater described.

cables pass forward and are attached to and adapted to be wound upon, drums 34 carried by a shaft 35, the latter being operated by a. worm wheel 36 through connections The cables 29 which are attached near the front end of the frame 8 pass upward and over the double grooved sheaves 32 and thenvforward to the drums ou the shaft, 35, the construction and voperation ofthe partsjust 'described being such that as the shaft is operated in one lor,

the other direction, the frame 8 is raised or lowered.

The frame 8 carries a guideblock 3T in engagement with the channel of each of the standards 6 so that as the 'frame is raised or lowered it is moved forward and back in such manner that the shaft 38 is always `maintained a predetermined dis! tance from' the shaft 7, each of these shafts carrying sprockets over which the' chain 39 passes, this chain serving to .rotate the shaft 38 in any positionV of thev frame 8. HThe shaft 38 carries a double lgear 40.

showniii Fig. 9, this gear meshing with and driving 4the bucket ring 9, which is composed of a pair of segmental rings 41, Fig. 12, each of which carries a segmental gear ring 42, the rings 4l being spaced apart and carrying between them the standardsg43' which carry Athe buckets `44, Figs. 7 and 8,'the double gear40 by its engage- I'iientfwith the gear segments 42v serving to drive the bucket ring, and also guide the vbucket ring and prevent its sidewiseV displacement, itibeing noted that the teeth of the segmental gears 42 extend laterally from the body portion and are open at their outer diameter, the body portion of the segmental gears riding iii the groove ofI the doublegear 40.

;- A guide `vroller 45 carried by ashaft` 46 which is suitably journalled on Athe frame 8, and a second vguide roller Y47y is carried by a pendant arm 48 from the frame 8, the pendant arm 48 being adjustably braced in position by the braces 49 which are adjustably connected to the frame 8 as by the Vlock nuts 50. `Y

An adjustable guide or shoe 5l this shoe comprising, as better Vshown inFig.

4, a forward memberV 52, a plate 5,3, cross` members 54 and a pair of angle irons 55,

`all suitably riveted or .bolted together.V

The structure ust described is carried by a frame comprising a pair of T irons 56 edgesof the T irons 56 to retain the shoe 5l in proper relation 'to its frame, the construction and operation of the parts just described being such that as the hand wheel 61 is operated, the shoe is raised or lowered along its frame, the shoe being curved andbeing mounted on a curved frame so that it always travels at the saine) distance from the buckets 44; f Y

I will now describe the power'connec-V tions from the 1notor4, the latter being provided with `a suitable clutch which is controlled by the shifter 65, Fig/l, whichin turn is controlled by the lever 66 mounted on Vthe main frame iii'position to beoperated by the driver of the imac-bine. vThe clutch controls a pinion 67, Fig. 6, whichV meshes with and drives aV gear 68 carried by the shaft 69, ets70, 7l, and V72. Y Y

chain 73 passes from the sprocket 70 to the lsprocket 74 carried by theshaft .7, the latter carrying sprockets 75 and 76, the chain 39 passing over-the sprocket 75 and a chain 77 passing vover the sprocket 76 and also over a sprocket 78 carried by shaft79, the latter also carryingthe splined bevel gears 8O and 8l, either of which may engage the gear82 carried oii'thevertical shaft ,'which passes through the'bearing-'SB and carriesbevelvgearv 84V on its lower end, which meshes with the bevel gear 85whfich iii turn drives the differential in the axle housing 86. ing 86, Ypinions 87, fFig. 2., .engage gear teeth carried by the wheels i f v Referring againto Fig.6, the shaft 79 Y is cai-, ried by the frame 8V at the rear endfthereof,

the latter carrying sprockfl At the Vends of the axle hous-V so Acarried by the frame 8 and attached thereto 88 and 89 either4 one of which is adapted to mesh with the bevel gear 90 carriedk by the angularly arranged shaft 91 which extends forward and upward to the bracket 92 carried by thev shaft 35, this bracketI engaged with either of the holes of the bracket 94, locks the shifter 93 so that the gears are in the neutral position or locks the parts so that the gear is engaged with the gear 82, vor so that the gear 81 is engaged, the position of the shifter 93, when either of the gears 80 or 81 are `engaged, determines whether or not the machine moves forward or backward.

The gears 88 and 89 .are controlled 'by a shifter 960 which is operated by a connecting-rod 97 extending from a bell-crank 98 connected as shown in Fig. 1 by the rod 99 with lever 100, so that either of the gears 88 or 89 may be brought into mesh with the gear to rotate the shaft 91 in either direction to raise or lower `the frame 8.

Referring again to Fig. 6, the shaft 79 also carries a sprocket101 which is in line with the sprocket 71 carried by` the shaft 69, the latter being the main powershaft o-f the machine and it is to be noted that the sprocket 71 is considerably larger than the sprocket 101 while the sprocket 70 is considerably smaller than the sprocket74 of the shaft 7. The sprockets 71 and 101 are provided so that when it is desired to move the machine when the bucket wheel is not to be operated, the chain 77 may be removed from vthe sprockets 76 and 78 and placed over the sprockets 71 and 101 in which case the shaft 79, when the clutch of the motor is engaged, will rotate at considerably higher speed than when the connections are as shown in Fig. V6, these connections being shown in their proper order when the machine is to be moved ahead at a speed proper for digging.

The sprocket 72 carried by the shaft 69 is in line with a sprocket 102, Figs. 1 and2, which is carried by a drum shaft 103 mounted at the front of the main frame and upon which any suitable cable may 'be wound, vthe end of the cable being attached to any stationary object at a distance aheadv of the machine so that under conditions where the traction of the front wheels 2 is not sufficient to move 'the machine forward, a chain,

shown in dotted lines at 104 Fig. 1, may be passed over the sprocket 72 and 102 thus providing a winch to advance the machine.

Referring more particular to Figs. 7 and 8, each bucket 44 is provided with a plurality of tines 105 and the standards 43 of each bucket carry hinges 106, arranged on each side thereof, each pair of hinges carrying a plate 107 these. plates serving, during the upward movement of the buckets, to prevent the contents from falling from the bucket. vTo hold the plates 107 in the position shown in Figs. 7 and 8 during the upward movement, guides 108 are carried by the frame 8 and pro-ject downward a suiiicient distance to come in contact with the plates 107 before the buckets have raised far enough to cause the contents thereof to move the plates107, the guides 108 extend upward to and termina-te atguide board 109 so that when the buckets have passed beyond the end of the guide 108 the plates 107 drop and permit the contents of the bucket to fall upon the conveyor 11.

A cross shaft 110 is mounted above the conveyor 11 and carries a series of fingers 111 which serve as strippers to remove the con-tents from the buckets when the condition of the material being operated upon is such that this material adheres to the bucket or to the plates 107, the shaft 110 being provided with an arm 112 to the lower-end of which a spring 113 is connected, the arm 112 normally resting against a stop 114, so that the stripping fingers 111 are yieldingly held in operating position.

I will now describe the conveyor 11 and its mounting and driving connections, referring more particularly to Figs. 1, 2, 9, 10, and 11. The shaft 38 carries a bevel gear 115 which meshes with and drives a similar gear 116 carried by a shaft mounted on bearings 117 and 118 carried by the frame 8, this shaft carrying a sprocket 119 from which a chain 120 passes to sprocket 121 carried by shaft 122 at the discharge end of the conveyor, the shaft 122 carrying the drive rollers 123 over which the conveyor apron 124 passes, theJ similar rollers being loosely mounted on the shaft which carries sprocket 119, the construction being such that the drive for the conveyor is at the discharge end so that the tight side of the apron carries the material being` handled.

The frame of the conveyor comprising a pair of side rails 125, shown more clearly in Figs; 10 and 11 which may extend beyond the conveyor and carry a deflector 126. The conveyor is pivoted on the shaft which passes thru the bearings 117 and 118 and the rails 125 each carry a shoe 127 which normally rests upon the. frame 8 and which, when the frame 8 is lowered below the main frame 1, comes in, contact with the main frame 1 and tilts the conveyor to the dotted position shown in Fig. 9 so that the material being handled is conveyed over the main -iframe l to the discharge point atall times. Flare-boards 128 are'mountedabove the conveyor apron to prevent the material from moving side-wise off ofthe Vapron and a` second set of flare-boards 129 is mounted Vbetween, the upper and lower portion of the' apron, the ends of each of these Hare- 'boards being tted tothe shape of the roll-v ers 122 as shown more clearly in Fig. 11 so thatrany .accumulation of material on the tions-tor the apron.

Vae

outer surface of these rollers is scraped ott, thus maintaining the proper diameter for these rollers and proper operating condij A seriesoif lugs 130 is attached to the apron 124 to maintain the apron in proper side-wise relation with the conveyor structure,V these lugs coming against the inner surface of the rollers 122 and acting as guides for. the apron.

l/Vhen the machine is used to approximately its maximumvcapacity the amount of material discharged forms a considerable ridge'and to. permit the rear wheel on the discharge side ot' the machine to travel tor- 'iwardwithout running upon this ridge, the

rear axle is Vmade extensible, one of the rearwheels being carried on a short scc- `tion l131, Fig. 3, while the other wheel is carried on a long section 132 both of these sections telescoping into the rear axle VVstriicture and being lheld in place therein kby the axle cap 133- and the clamp boltsl 134: the tie rod 25 being preferably composed of two sections so that it kmay be Vextended in length when the rear wheel on ,the discharge `side ot the machine islmoved from the full line position ot 'F ig. 3' to the dotted line position. The whole rear axle structure is pivotedly connectedto the main iframe 1 asV by the link 135 and pin 136 so that the level oil the main trame and the balance ot the machine is controlled by the front wheels.

,VVhile the Vmachine is in operation for digging a trench, should it be necessary to curve any portion of the trench, thet'ront portiono the. machine is steered in the direction desired. whereupon the operator releases the rear steering tiered by extracting thepins '28 and by moving the lever necessary to provide a. clearance in some other manner, either ofVA which methods of Yprocedure would .result in a delayv in theV progress ofthework. f- Y l In place ofthe curvedstandards `6 previously `"described for( lnoairitainingV the proper center distance ofVV the shafts. 7 and 38, these standards maybestraight and a radius rodr137 may extend from thefshat't '7 and a point .in laxial alignment withit on. the opposite side of the machinetthe radius rod preferablycbeing adjustable Vas 1 by right andleft threads and held in posi` f tion by Ylock nuts 138. n

'.lhe operation of the machine is as Jfollows The'drive'oham v77 is removed from the position shown infFi/g. 1 and placed in the dotted position 139 where it isrinene n Y gagement with the sprocket 71 andY 101 whereupon as the motor 4l has been started, the shiifter 93 is moved to the forward driv ing position, and-the clutch of f the motor Y is engaged and theV machine movedforward to the b e dug The drive. chain Vi'pis again replaced in the4 position shown inl41 igs. l, 2 and 6 'and andthe shoe 51 elevated as high as-it -can be moved whereupon the clutch 1s again lie-engaged and the Vlever ,100, is operated to engage the gearing to rotatel the 'shaft 91 and with it the shaft 35 in the proper direction to lower the frame' Y8.V As-the buckets form the beginning: of the trench and when the lowering process has continued until the shoe 51 comes in 'contact 'with the ground, the clutch isidisengaged and the shifter 93 f operated to engage the Wheel driving mechanism whereupon,after have ing re-engaged the clutch, the machineV point of beginning 0f the trench 'toV Vthe shifter 93 moved tothe neutral position starts forward and the buckets continue'to descend until thefproper depth .has been reached, whereupon lthe operator moves the lever 100 to shiit the raising and'lowering mechanism to Aneutral and the digging op-V eration proceeds. Y Should the Y elevation of the Y change and require a greater or less'depth of the ditch, thisV` may be obtained while the vmach-ine is advancing by shifting the lever 10O'Yto lower or-raise tliebuckets' as required.l j 4 During the operation ofthe buckets in the ground7 the shoe 51 is adjusted until its lower end just' clears the bottom of the trenchV `being dug, this shoev Vserving pto steady the bucket ring and its bucketsand prevent them from' cutting down'the'sides of the trench while thebuokets' are traveling downward to their work. Y Y

Should an obstruction be met which it is impossible to dig'fthru, theV machine may be reversed thru' the medium fthe lshi-ttor y93 andthe obstruction removed.-'

grou-nd ISD Y It will be noted from the above that I have produced amachine in which the major portion of the weight' is carried on the solid ground ahead of the trench, and one in which the t 1active effort -is all exerted ahead of the trench, the walls of the trench only having to carry while the machine is in operation, the weight of the rear portion of the machine; a machine in which the rear wheels may be spread apart there by further reducing VtheV probability of caving in @the banks of the trench; a machine which, when the ground conditions Y arenot suchfas to provide traction, carries means Vfor moving it forward in the form of apoweroperating winch; a machine which Vmaydig 4curves as well asstraight trenches and which when operated on curves,- turns its curve on a radius 'on the ing and steering wheels for the mainframe,

a digging ele-ment carrying frame vertically movable with 'relation to the main frame and guidedV in its movement, a digging element rotatably mounted on the digging element carrying frame, reversible power connections from thev motor to the driving and steering wheels, and power connections from the motor to the digging element. Y

2.' In a trenching machine, the combinat-ion of a main frame, driving and steering wheels forsupporting the forward part of the frame, a ,motor carried by the machine, aV digging elementcarried .by the main frame and vertically moveable with rela-tion thereto, disengageable reversible driving connection between the motor and Vdriving and steering wheels, disengageable connections from the motor to the digging element, and a. guide shoe for the digging element and moving with this element when the latter is raised or lowered.

8. In a. trenching machine, a combination of a main frame, driving and steering wheels for the forward portion of the frame, supporting and steering wheels for the rear portion of the frame, a vertically moveable digging element carried by the machine, driving connections from the motor to the driving wheels, driving con moved to travel beyond the discharge4 from the, conveyor.

et. In a trenching machine, the combination of a main frame, steering and driving wheels for the forward part of the frame, supporting wheels for the rear part of the frame, a power operated digging element carried by the main frame, a laterally discharging conveyor from the digging element, a motor for the power operated digging element and the driving wheels, and means whereby one of the rear supporting wheels may be moved to a path of travel beyond the discharge from the conveyor.

5. In a trenching machine, the combination of a main frame, steering and driving wheels for the forward portion of the frame, steering and supporting wheels, disengageable reversible connections from the motor to the driving wheels, a digging element carrying frame vertically movable. with relation to the main frame, a digging element rotatably carried by the latter frame, driving' connections from the motor to the digging element, a guide shoe for the digging element and carried by the digging element frame, a. laterally discharging conveyor from the digging element, and means for moving one ofthe steering and supporting wheels to a path of travel beyond the discharge from t-he conveyor.

VV6. In a trenching machine, the combination of a main frame, a. digging element carrying frame vertically moveable to positionsabov'e and below the main frame, a digging element carried by the digging element carrying frame, a discharge conveyor pivotedly mounted on the digging element carrying frame adjacent one side thereof and extending laterally to a point beyond the opposite side of said fra-me, a shoe or rest carried by the conveyor and normally resting upon the digging element carrying frame and adapted to contact with the main frame when the digging element carrying frame is lowered below the main frame, and power connections for the digging element and conveyor.

7. In a trenching machine, the combinae tion of a main frame, a digging element rotatably and vertically moveably mounted thereon, buckets carried by the digging element and comprising in between tines eX- tending rearwardly of the buckets, a closure plate for each bucket and extending to approximatelythe rear end of the tines, and a guide for holding the closure plates in closed position until the buckets reach discharging position.

S. In a trenching machine, the combination of a main frame, a digging element carrying frame carried thereby, means for' raising and lowering the digging element carried thereby, guiding pulleys carried by the upper ends of the standards, a digging element carrying frame between the guiding standards, raising and lowering cables attached to vsaid frame and base over said pulleys, a common hoisting drum shaft for all the cables and toV which the latter are attached, a motor for the machine, a power shaft driven by thermotor, a radial movement controlling element limiting the movement of the digging element carrying framer to a radius centering in the power shaft, a digging element carried by the digging elementl carrying f'ame, driving connections therefor, and connections between the latter and the power vshaft lor opera-ting the digging element. Y

10. AIn a trenching machine, the combi nat-ion of a trame vertically inoveable'to positions above and below the mainframe, a digging element and connections carried by the latter frame, a transverse convey-or carried by the latter frame and projecting beyond one side thereof, a pivotal mounting for said conveyor whereby when thedigging element carrying frame is lowered below the main frame the conveyor will operate above the main frame, rflare-boards carried by said conveyor, and combined Hare-boards and scrapers'mounted partly between the upper and lower portions of the apron of the conveyor and cro-operating with the` vapron rollers to maintainsaid rollers in proper diameter.

11. In a trenching machine, the combination ot' a main frame, a vertical moveably mounted rotatably digging element carried thereby intermediate the ends thereof, steer'- ing and driving wheels for theY forward portion of the machine, a motor for oper-V ating the machine, Vand steering and supportingwheels for the rear of the machine whereby the machine may be` operated to dig a curved trench, `the curvature being established on the extended ging element.

12. In a trenching machine, the co1nbination of a main frame, a diggingelement carried intermediate the ends thereof, a

axis of thei diglaterally extending conveyor',V a motor` ifo-r the machine and mounted aheadof the digging element, driving wheels for the ma-' chine and ahead of they digging element, an extensible rearfaxle provided with steering mechanism and carrying steering and supporting wheels and mounted `at the rear end ot the machine whereby one of the said wheels may be moved to a path oftravel beyond the discharge from' theconveyor.

13. In a trenchiug machine, the combination otia main trame, a, diggingV element operably mountedV thereon intermediate the ends thereof, laterallygextending discharge f conveyor for the digging element, steerlng and `driving wheels for the-,forward portion of the machine,- and an extensible rear axle carrying supporting wheels and provided with a normally inactive steering? mechanism whereby a turning radius for the machine may be established on `the extended axis of the digging element, and whereby one of the rearwheels may travel beyond Vthe discharge from the conveyor.

, VHARVEYH;Finiture. j 

